J. Parnell Thomas

John Parnell Thomas (16 January 1895-19 November 1970) was a member of the US House of Representatives (R-NJ 7) from 3 January 1937 to 2 January 1950, succeeding Randolph Perkins and preceding Willian B. Widnall.

Biography
John Parnell Feeney was born in Jersey City, New Jersey to an Irish Catholic family, but he later changed his surname to "Thomas" and converted to Episcopalianism. He served in the US Army during World War I and worked in investment securities and insurance before serving as Mayor of Allendale from 1926 to 1930. In 1936, after a spell in the General Assembly, he was elected to the US House of Representatives. He was a staunch conservative opponent of Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal, and he chaired HUAC after World War II. In 1950, he was arrested for accepting kickbacks, and he served 18 months in prison. In 1952, President Harry S. Truman pardoned Thomas, who failed to be nominated to the US Congress in 1954. He died in 1970.